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CHARLOTTESVILLE The 14th-ranked Virginia women’s basketball team fell at home to No. 22 Florida State, 80-75, Friday night at John Paul Jones Arena. Monica Wright scored 24 points to lead Virginia.
Lyndra Littles added 21 points and six rebounds, while Aisha Mohammed contributed 15 points and eight rebounds.
Virginia’s record went to 15-4, 2-2 in the ACC, while Florida State improved to 17-4, 5-0 in the ACC and the Seminoles handed UVa its first home loss of the season.
In the first half, Virginia took an eight-point lead, 33-25, on a lay-up by Aisha Mohammed with 4:50 remaining. Over the next three minutes, however, Florida State put together a 10-3 run, capped off by two free throws by Jacinta Monroe that pulled the Seminoles to within a point, 36-35, at the 1:21 mark.
Britnee Millner hit a lay-up with under a minute remaining to extend the Cavaliers’ lead to 38-35, but Florida State responded with a 3-pointer from Courtney Ward at the top of the key as time expired to tie the score, 38-38, at halftime.
The Seminoles led by as many as 13 points in the second half, and the Cavaliers were forced to play catch up. An 8-0 run by UVa pulled the Cavaliers to within five points and made the score 59-54 at the 9:28 mark.
Florida State responded with an 8-0 run of its own, and took a 67-54 lead with 7:18 left on a lay-up by Cierra Bravard. From there, the Cavaliers chipped away at the lead and got to within one point after a technical foul on FSU resulted in four made free throws by UVa (Littles and Wright).
After trading baskets on the ensuing possessions, Courtney Ward gave the Seminoles a four-point lead, 74-70, with a 3-pointer at the 2:43 mark.
Monica Wright converted two free throws for the Cavaliers with 1:45 left in the game to make the score 74-72, and pulled to within one on another free throw by Chelsea Shine with 1:00 left.
Florida State made it to the line on the next possession, and Monroe hit both to give Florida State a 76-73 lead with 20 seconds left in the game.
Wright had a putback with 10 seconds left to pull the Cavaliers within one, 76-76, and Virginia fouled quickly. Freshour stepped to the line and hit both free throws with 9.9 seconds left to put the Seminoles up, 78-75.
Wright’s attempt with seconds left missed short off the rim and Monroe hit both free throws on the other end to give FSU the 80-75 victory.
Virginia hits the road for an ACC contest at Clemson on Monday, Jan. 26. Tip-off is 7 p.m.